The present invention relates generally to scheduling tasks for execution on a plurality of computers in a wide area network and, more particularly, to remote scheduling of tasks for execution on servers and workstations in the network.
In a large enterprise with many thousands of file servers and workstations, the conventional methods of running maintenance software on remote computers in a wide area network have proven to be very inefficient. Every Windows-based machine has a built in tool called the task scheduler. Scheduled tasks are created and executed based on standard security permissions. The task scheduler is fully integrated into the operating system. The task scheduler is useful for scheduling a task to run at a certain time on a machine in a Windows-based computing environment when the machine is not being utilized or when it doesn't interfere with production. However, this approach only works if the administrator can get to the server or workstation to configure the task.
There is a need for a method for remotely placing tasks (jobs) in the task schedulers of multiple workstations in the network simultaneously. The task scheduler on each server or workstation then runs the actual job at the assigned time or when a certain event occurs.